WINDOW ROCK, Arizona (AP) – The Navajo Nation Council has passed bill requiring all tribal workers to be vaccinated or regularly tested against COVID-19. Meanwhile, the Navajo Nation reported 67 more COVID-19 cases and five more deaths on Wednesday.
The latest numbers brought the total number of the strain to 33,907 confirmed COVID-19 cases of the virus since the pandemic began more than a year ago. The known death toll is now 1,447.
Based on September 10-23 cases, the Navajo Department of Health issued a recommendation for 40 communities due to the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.
The tribe’s reservation is the largest in the country at 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers) and includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
Navajo officials are urging people to get vaccinated, wear masks in public, and minimize their travel.
Officials said all staff in the Navajo Nation’s executive branch should be fully vaccinated against the virus or undergo regular tests by the end of this month.
The new rules apply to full, part-time, and temporary workers, including those who work for tribal businesses such as utilities, shopping malls, and casinos.
Any worker who fails to provide proof of vaccination by Wednesday must be tested every two weeks or face disciplinary action.
